Travel & Outdoors

Best Adult Hockey Leagues In The Peninsula

INNSBRUCK, AUSTRIA – JANUARY 22: The team of Sweden celebrate after winning the gold medal in the Women’s Final match between Sweden and Austria at the Tyrolean Ice Arena during the Winter Youth Olympic Games on January 22, 2012 in Innsbruck, Austria. (Photo by Martin Rose/Getty Images)

The 2012-2013 professional hockey season has just begun and with it brings interest not only in the NHL’s San Jose Sharks, but also interest in adult hockey leagues. While the Peninsula is not exactly considered a hotbed for hockey activity compared to towns like Minneapolis, Buffalo or Montreal, there are plenty of great adult leagues that operate in Peninsula hockey rinks. Each league features teams whose members are based upon their ability, whether it’s a beginner or an advanced skater. USA Hockey rules and standards apply to all Peninsula hockey leagues.

The Pacific Hockey Association is the original adult hockey league in the Bay Area and has league play at the Ice Center in San Mateo and Cupertino’s Ice Center in South Bay. The league offers a winter and summer session comprised of 17 games and league playoffs. The winter season began on September 30th and runs through March 2013. There are six conferences within the league and players are assigned based upon skill levels.

The Pacific Hockey Association also runs the Adult Beginner School for individuals who are new to the sport. The school consists of 15 one-hour ice sessions to cover all of the basic skills necessary to participate in an organized league game. Once players complete the beginner’s school, they will be placed on a team with other players and participate in league games. The next beginner program begins Sunday, January 6th.

The Northern California Women’s Hockey League is a volunteer, non-checking, recreational women’s ice-hockey league that uses two Peninsula rinks – the Iceland in Belmont and the Ice Oasis in Redwood City, in addition to Fremont’s Sharks Ice facility in South Bay. There are four divisions ranging from entry level to advanced. Prior to league play, all players except for those in the entry-level division must participate in a placement process to determine their division. The winter season began on September 4th and runs through March 17th.

The Adult 4-on-4 Hockey League at the Belmont Iceland offers a 15-game regular season with double-elimination playoffs after the season ends. The four-player team enables each player to enjoy more puck time than they would on a traditional team. The league is open to B- and C-division level players. Each team consists of up to 10 players, including a goalie. The current season runs through November 7th with a new season beginning in January.

Price: $139.85 per month for one league, $244.84 for two leagues, $110.83 for the beginner’s league

The Nazareth Ice Oasis offers two seasons each year for co-ed league play – February through July and August through January. There are seven skill levels and each level is assigned one day of the week on which their games will be scheduled. Some players may elect to participate in more than one skill level but this requires an extra fee. The beginner’s league games are held on Saturday nights.